1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to mobile communications and, more particularly, to methods for delivering messages to and from a migrated communications device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Migration of subscribers is a concern for mobile telecommunications service providers. Sometimes a telecommunications service provider will move, or “migrate,” a subscriber from one network standard to another network standard. The subscriber, for example, may be migrated from a TDMA/CDMA communications network to a GSM communications network. Before the subscriber is migrated, however, network provisioning is a concern. The GSM/TDMA/CDMA communications networks must be re-provisioned to correctly locate and access subscriber information that is required to process communications (e.g., calls, messaging, content delivery, etc.). If the GSM/TDMA/CDMA communications network is not re-provisioned to correctly find the subscriber's information, the subscriber may be prevented from sending and/or from receiving communications.
Messaging service is an example. Some subscribers may send and receive messages at their communications device. These messages are composed of alphanumeric characters and are presented on a display of the subscriber's communications device. Before a message can be delivered, however, the communications network must access the subscriber information that is required to process the message. The communications network, for example, must determine which message service center, and which Home Location Register, is associated with the subscriber. The communications network must also exchange status messages when processing the message. When the subscriber is migrated from one network standard to another network standard, a new message service center and a new Home Location Register are associated with the subscriber. If, however, the communications network continues routing messages to the old message service center and to the old Home Location Register, the messages will fail—that is, the messages are not delivered to the communications device. The communications network, then, must be re-provisioned to continue correctly delivering messages to the subscriber.
There is, accordingly, a need in the art for an improved messaging service for mobile communications subscribers, a need for improved methods of routing messages to and from a communications device, and a need for improved methods of migrating subscribers from one network standard to another network standard.